Veeva Systems Inc., a target of lawsuits over hiring away employees from rivals in life sciences cloud computing, is now trying to turn the tables.In announcing its suit against three companies that have sought court orders to block ex-employees from joining Veeva or allegedly threatened litigation — Medidata Solutions Inc., Quintiles IMS Inc. and Sparta Systems Inc. — Veeva said it’s taking a stand to end a practice it views as anticompetitive.“Employees should have the right to move freely between jobs, advance their careers and improve their lives without fear of being sued by their former employers,” Veeva CEO Peter Gassner said in a statement.Medidata, based in New York City, said it supports and respects the rights of workers to build their careers, but it sued Veeva in January over the defection of five employees, challenging the Pleasanton company’s “illegal targeting and unfair use of our trade secrets.”Typically, a noncompete agreement — which many job candidates in the tech world have to sign as a condition of employment — bars them from working on rival products for a set period of time, say a year, after leaving their current employer.Supporters say they help protect trade secrets and other confidential information and prevent rapid turnover at companies that have made big investments to train employees.

The US ambassador to the United Nations said North Korea’s mounting military provocations punctuated by the recent test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile will require an international “solution.” “Done talking about NKorea. China is aware they must act. Japan & SKorea must inc pressure. Not only a US problem. It will req an intl solution,”...